Herbert m



(No Model.)

H. M. ELDRIDGE.

SHEET METAL CHAIN.

No. 483,347. Patented Sept. 27, 1892.

w v'fizwtmen: #W 7/1. EZM jzz/wor.

Mme a.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT M. ELDRIDGE, OF NIAGARA, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE ONEIDA COMMUNITY, LIMITED, OF KENWOOD, N. Y.

SHEET-METAL CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,347, dated September 27, 1892.

Application filed March 21, 1892- Serial No. 4;25,804| (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT M. ELDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara, in the county of W'elland, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sheet-\Ietal Chains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement to in sheet-metal chains, and has for its object to produce a strong and durable chain of this character and to so form the links thereof that very little waste of metal is incurred in cutting the link-blanks.

I5 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a number of link-blanks, show ing the form in which they are out from a sheet of metal. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the loops of thechain-links,showing the shape thereof preparatory to interlocking it with a similar loop for forming the link. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an unfinished link, showing its form after the two parts thereof are engaged with each other and before they are compressed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the chain. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central section of one of the finished links. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the chain.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Each link of my improved chain consists of two loops, which are rigidly connected together at their inner portions and are en- 3 5 gaged, respectively, with the loops of adjoining links. Each of these loops is formed from a strip or elongated blank A of sheet metal, which is provided at one end with an eye or opening Z7, which is of sufficient size to 0 receive the opposite plain end of the blank. These blanks are first bent into the open-loop form shown in Fig. 2, the free end of each blank standing opposite its eye and at a short distance therefrom. The bent blanks are next placed together in the form of a figure 8, with the eyes of the two blanks in register and with the eye of one blank located between the eye and the free end of the other blank. The free ends a of the two blanks are then pressed through both superposed eyes, as shown in Fig. 3, the free end of each blank passing through the eye of its own blank and also through the eye of the other blank. When the two link-blanks have been thus engaged, the plain ends of the blanks overlap each other within the two eyes, and stand substantially at right angles to the latter, as shown in Fig. 3 and by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The two loops of the links are next bent or compressed to the form shown by full lines in Figs. 4 and 5, whereby the portions of the two loops which carry the end portions 0 are turned at right angles to such end portions and against the outer faces of the eyes. By thus bending the two loopshaped link-blanks the end portions 0 are reliably retained in the eyes of the blanks and the two loops are firmly secured together.

In forming a chain from myimproved links a link is first finished and one of the loops of each succeeding link is threaded through the adjacent loop of the preceding finished link before interlocking the two loops of the unfinished link.

In the modified construction of the chainlink represented in Fig. 6 the free ends of the two looped blanks A A overlap each other within the eyes I) after the link is finished instead of being arranged back to back, as in the first-described construction. In both constructions the plain ends of the two blanks are each interlocked with the eyes of its own blank and that of the other blank. This construction forms avery strong and simple chain. It is very cheaply manufactured, as the form of the link-blanks enables the latter to be cut from a sheet of steel or other suitable metal with but a trifling Waste. of stock.

I claim as my inventiou- A sheet-metal chain-link composed of two loops secured together at their inner portions and each consisting of a separate strip or blank of sheet metal bent into loop form and provided at one end with an eye or opening, the eyes of the two loop-blanks lying against each other and the opposite plain end portions of said blanks being each interlocked with both of said eyes, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of March, [CO 1892. A

HERBERT M. ELDRIDGE.

Witnesses:

FRED I. PIERCE, HARRY E. KELLEY. 

